In rotorcraft, excess vibration can lead to premature wear and in some cases to failures in rotating components. Vibration can be either in a vertical or lateral plan (with respect to the main frame of the rotorcraft) and can be due to unequal lift produced by the main rotor blades, unequal distribution of mass in the main rotor “disk,” loose components, shafts bearings or other mechanical problems.
Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS) use vibration measurements to diagnose mechanical health of the rotorcraft and to suggest possible corrective actions. In particular, the HUMS includes a Rotor Track and Balance system that tracks vibration of rotors of the rotorcraft and takes corrective action to smooth such vibration.
In order to track a state of health of the rotorcraft or its components, sensors measure conditions of the components and provide sensor data to the HUMS. For example, a tachometer and accelerometers are placed in close proximity to a rotor and remotely from the HUMS. The accelerometers sense vibration due to the rotor and the tachometer detects angular speed and phase of the rotor and generate sensor data based thereon. The sensor data is typically sent to the HUMS over a wire or wires that stretch from the sensors to the HUMS. These wires can be heavy, costly, and prone to failures.
Hence, there is a need for improved systems and methods for providing sensor data to the HUMS. Other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.